1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for fastening an orthesis or a prosthesis, comprising a substantially bar-shaped bar assembly, which is connectable by or adjacent to two extremities to exposed first ends of two implants fastened at a distance from each other by a second end in or onto a bone, while forming a rigid connection therebetween.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Such devices are known from practice, in particular from dental surgery. On the bar-shaped part of the device, a prosthesis or orthesis can be detachably secured by means of one of more clamping elements. A problem in realizing such a device is that the position of the implants can differ per case, inter alia in that the position is substantially determined in situ, in vivo. Therefore, to realize a fitting connection between these implants, each bar assembly has to be separately manufactured to size. In practice, this is done by making an impression of a relevant part of the jaw, with the implants extending therein, whereupon, on the basis of this impression, in a laboratory, a bar assembly is manufactured, for instance by means of investment casting.
Having a bar assembly manufactured in a laboratory is time-consuming, expensive and, moreover, susceptible to trouble. At each manufacturing step, such as, for instance, the manufacture of an impression, a casting model and the final bar assembly, inaccuracies can be introduced, resulting in a bar assembly which does not perfectly fit the implants and which, when it is nevertheless secured thereto, will cause undesired stresses in the construction and the jaw. In practice, for this reason, a significant percentage of bar assemblies has to be rejected and the manufacturing steps described hereinabove have to be traversed again.